npc arc

An NPC arc is a character development phase — ironically, the phase where there is no development. It describes a period in someone's life where they were completely passive: doing what was expected, following routines, letting others drive the story. Usually invoked retrospectively, like 'I was deep in my NPC arc junior year.' The arc framing borrows from anime and TV culture, suggesting even the bland chapters of life are part of a larger narrative. Sometimes it's self-aware and funny; sometimes it's a quiet admission that you lost yourself for a while.